Chapter 2

After that, Malachi never spoke to me first again. He even spent our wedding anniversary with Selene.

That night, I cooked a whole table of dishes and waited for him to come home.

But instead, he just said, "Selene just got here and she's not used to things yet. She's not feeling well, so I need to be with her."

Malachi kept saying Selene had been through a lot, that she was always buried in books and kind of fragile, so she needed someone to take care of her.

I just thought, since they'd grown up together, of course they'd look out for each other.

But then, one day, I went to his workplace for a training session and overheard Malachi talking with a coworker.

He said, "If Selene hadn't been forced to leave for the countryside back then, we never would've been separated.

"Vaela may be my wife, but the one I truly love has always been Selene.

"Selene and I have shared feelings for over ten years. What does Vaela have that could ever compare to what Selene and I share?"

In that instant, all my strength left me. It turned out people really could pretend to love someone.

But no matter what, Malachi was my husband now, and it was my duty to stand by him.

I kept that pain locked away inside, never telling anyone about it.

*****

When the earthquake struck, I rushed straight to the front lines, just like I always do.

As the mountainside gave way, all I managed was to throw myself over the little girl in my arms, shielding her with everything I had.

Massive rocks slammed down onto my back, pinning me hard and leaving me barely able to move.

Thankfully, the spot I dove into had a sturdy beam overhead, which took most of the force from the falling debris.

By the time the rocks finally crashed down, most of their force was gone, but even so, I ended up trapped in a cramped corner between the rubble and the stones.

There wasn't a single spot on my back or legs that wasn't battered, and I could feel my blood slowly draining away.

As my mind started to go fuzzy, I caught a glimpse of Malachi.

But instead of even glancing at me, he ran straight past and headed for Selene, who was standing off to the side.

He shouted, "Selene, are you okay? This bloody scene must've scared you half to death. Let me take you somewhere safe to rest for a bit."

Just as he was about to walk away, one of the rescue team members spotted me. "Malachi, your wife is in there. The situation is really dangerous."

But Malachi barely glanced at me, his expression cold. He said flatly, "Don't worry about her.

"She's a soldier, used to this kind of thing. She'll be fine."

"But—" the team member tried to say something else, but Malachi had already left with Selene.

At that moment, my heart completely shattered. If he had just looked at me for a second, Malachi would've seen I was in real trouble.

But he didn't.

When I finally came to, my squadmates were gathered around me, their faces bursting with relief and joy.

But when the topic turned to my injuries, they hesitated, unsure what to say. After I pressed them again and again, they finally told me the truth.

If I'd gotten help in time, I could've recovered completely. But when things were at their most urgent, the rescue team rushed off with another patient, leaving me behind.

I wasn't pulled out until another rescue team arrived, and by then, I'd already slipped into shock.

The moment I heard what happened, my heart felt like it had died. I closed my eyes and let the tears roll down my face.

I'd never be out there with my squad again, fighting side by side on the front lines.

While I was in the hospital, Rowan called Malachi in for a serious talking-to and temporarily stripped him of his captaincy.

Under pressure, Malachi came to see me once. The moment he saw I was awake, he was ready to walk out.

He said flatly, "Looks like you're awake, so you must be okay. I'm heading ou. Selene needs me."

Malachi didn't even spare a glance at the cast on my leg, just walked out like it meant nothing.

After all, his precious Selene needed him more.

The day before I was discharged, Rowan came to see me.

With a sigh, he said, "Vaela, your health just isn't strong enough for frontline duty anymore."

I smiled, shaking my head. "It's okay. Making sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes for the team matters just as much."

Rowan nodded. "Glad you're thinking that way."

He reached into his briefcase and handed me a folder. "This is the city's new chip initiative. There's a spot reserved for you if you want it."

I took the folder, read it carefully, and agreed right then and there.

Rowan grabbed my hand, his excitement obvious. "That's great, Vaela. With you on board, our chip project is bound to succeed.

"But this is a six-year commitment. Is your husband okay with that?"

I nodded. "Don't worry, Rowan. He'd never object to me doing my part for the country."